is this system doable? (GTX 650 with 160-200W PSU)

As you may be aware, for a while I've been trying to figure out how to get a bunch of components into a really small case. I might've finally found one.

C137 Mini-ITX case

The problem is, it only supports external/DC power adaptors (Ironically there's a smaller version that supports flex ATX psu's but no graphics cards C289 Mini-ITX Enclosure)

I can get a picopsu picoPSU-160-XT that operates at 160W while handling bursts to 200W (195W effectively)

The TDP of a Nvidia GTX 650 is 65W. AnandTech - NVIDIA Launches GeForce GTX 650: GK107 With GDDR5 The 650 isn't the most powerful chip, but it will handle my needs fine.

After that, I can add a 55W i3-3220, a motherboard, ram, optical drive, and a hard drive (think I can only install one drive, so it may be a hybrid drive)

Is it doable? or will the PSU be overloaded? eXtreme PSU calculator says that with a 100% load I need 184W minimum with 234W reccomended.

Thanks

Hum Future your last remark says it all really - is that the largest external power supply you can get? or can afford?

Don't want to sound rude but it seems to be pushing your luck a bit.

I have had a look at that site and there isn't much available that small there. To determine what you need you need to find one where the volts and the amps are stated - now to find what the wattage is you simply multiply the volts by the amps = watts - that is Ohms law and is one of the basic law of physics and electricity if you were wondering.

So you need to find an adaptor that states roughly 12 volts at 22 amps = 264 watts or

12 volts at 20 amps = 240 watts - which is quite close to what the recommended wattage is:) Personally I would opt for the slightly larger wattage to give yourself a better margin of fail safe if you get my drift. Either that or find a graphics card with less wattage requirements but then you do lose some quality but not really that much. A "silent" type might fit your bill and it is powered from the board and doesn't need a six pin power lead like the GTX 650 (which I have in my deskies)

However most of them only come with DDR3 memory while the 650 is DDR5 but for a look at

ASUS - - ASUS GT610-SL-1GD3-L or

GIGABYTE - Graphics Card - NVIDIA - PCI Express Solution - GeForce 200 Series - GV-N210SL-1GI

Let us know how you go.

I'm still kind of wondering what would happen if I try this, though.

The PicoPSU can handle operating at 100% usage, so it should be able to handle operating at 195W well.

I'm just wondering how the 184W-234W range works...

That being said: Intel HD 4000 is very comparable (and sometimes better) than a Nvidia 610 or 210, so there's no point in either card. I want something a bit better. If possible.

Otherwise I might as well just wait for Haswell.

I am looking at the GT 640, which seems to be a better option. It handles Portal fine (the most intensive game I would own) and it's PSU requirements are lower (164W min, 214W max at 100% peak load). As long as I stick to powered USB hubs I should be fine.

Ok well the Intel graphics do look to be quite impressive and worth a try. I had a scratch around and it seems that some have actually run an i5 in their mini systems.

My thoughts are based around what that PSU can deliver not just in watts but the current (amps)

I think you need to research a bit the different components you are going to use and the games you are going to play and see which components are going to use what.

My mate and I had this situation on another thread just the other day where a member was trying to run games I guess those shoot them up and down war stuff and was wondering why the i3 was struggling and the machine as whole was racing the life out of the cooling fan.

Really does depend on what you want out of the machine when you have made it. Sorry but I am not a gamer so I cannot comment on what power requirements are needed.

Honestly? I don't know.

If i could find a case that supports FlexATX PSUs then I'd just go with a 650 or something and it would be a much easier decision.

That being said, i found this: New Alienware X51 Mini HD Gaming Computer
It has acceptable dimensions (only 12" deep) and supports up to a GTX 660, which is fairly powerful
I might go with the one with an i5 and GT 640, but add a bluray drive.

The only problem is it uses a H61 chipset, which doesn't support Sata III

I think I might just go with my original plan and build a case and wait for haswell.

Hum Future that is a nice small machine my mate I told you about had a friend of his that had some Alienware machine that cost $7K and being a brand name that I am not familiar with makes that machine you quoted look rather attractive.


Now for what it is worth I don't think there is a lot of difference to me anyway in the SATA 3Gbs and 6Gbs transfer rates but there again I don't game. It might be worth putting a thread in the hardware area and finding out from some of the others what the go is. The Haswell is due I suppose but the i5 is now such a good all rounder and uses I think the same architecture as the forthcoming core but I suppose one could go on forever I would hazard a guess that Haswell is already "obsolete" in that Intel will have already be well into something smaller and better.

Me I am staying with the Ivy B and the Sandy B I have in my two main deskies the Ivy just as good as an i7 unless one is some sort of par excellence type:)

Still there is this you might like to have a look at DailyTech - Intel Says Haswell Coming in 2013, Will Rival Today's Discrete Graphics
4th Generation of Core Microarchitecture: Intel Haswell - X-bit labs
.

Hum don't know about that mate you will still need the monitor and stuff eh?

Does it have to be so small - for travel or what? That Alienware looks pretty tempting though.

The Haswell stuff well don't forget you might have excellent graphics but you will need a monitor that is not going to be cheap to fully utilise those better quality pics and games.